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April 30, 2008

Pius V, Council of Trent, & Elizabeth I

Church History and the Calendar again. Pope Pius V is one of the persons on the Church calendar for today. He excommunicated Queen Elizabeth I of England in 1570.

The Council of Trent straddled 18 years and several Popes. It was finalized in 1563. Pius V had the job of instituting it. It's main purpose was what to do with Protestantism (which was 'no Protestantism). It's beginnings were to deal with what Martin Luther (and many others) wanted the Church to reform. It became a Counter-Reformation.

Queen Elizabeth I was determined to complete the separation of the Church of Rome begun by her father Henry VIII (with Bloody Mary between them). I've written before that Protestantism and Catholicism took over a hundred years to be able to co-exist. For a long while, the religion of the monarchy became the religion of the country. And unfortunately Elizabeth forbade Catholics to practice their faith. They were fined or imprisoned and heavily persecuted and many were killed. (Read about Protestantism in Scotland with John Knox, and then France and other countries had horrible massacres too.)(Read my blog on Edmund Campion.)

We don't imagine the possibility of living with only one religious option; can't imagine what's so hard about letting other religious viewpoints exist. We so take advantage of having scriptures in our own language and can read anytime for ourselves!